NFL Week 2 Winners and Losers: The 2024 Quarterback Class Had a Rough Weekend

Another Sunday of NFL football came and went this past weekend, and with it came plenty of action.

Across 14 games, we saw seven two-score victories, a handful of upsets, some unfortunate injuries and several teams make statements as the 2026 campaign continued to take shape. We’ll get to all of that—and more—below.

Here are our winners and losers from Week 2.

Loser: The 2024 quarterback class

Six (!) quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, and only one of them had a Week 2 to write home about: Bo Nix, who led the Broncos to a 20–13 win over the Jaguars and avoided falling into an 0–2 hole.

Outside of Nix, however, Sunday was a brutal day for the rest of the class. The 2024 draft’s top two picks, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, each left their teams’ games with injuries. Williams was knocked out of the Bears’ 9–3 loss to the Vikings with a hamstring injury. Daniels dislocated his left elbow for a second consecutive year, forcing him to leave the Commanders’ eventual defeat to the Cowboys at halftime.

No. 3 pick Drake Maye, meanwhile, struggled in the Patriots’ 20–3 win over the Steelers. The 2025 MVP runner-up was sacked three times and threw a league-leading fourth interception on a brutally underthrown pass to tight end Hunter Henry.

Lastly, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 pick in 2024, remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from last season’s ACL tear. As for No. 10 pick J.J. McCarthy watched from the sidelines as Minnesota took down Chicago, serving as the backup to backup quarterback Carson Wentz.

Winner: Broncos

After getting run over by the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, the Broncos earned a statement victory over the Jaguars to move to 1–1 on the season. The Jaguars beat the Broncos last season, but on Sunday, it was the Broncos’ offense making plays and the defense shutting down Trevor Lawrence & Co. Trade acquisition Jaylen Waddle exploded for 138 yards on eight receptions as Davis Webb showed greater promise as a play-caller. The defense’s performance might have been even better, holding one of the league’s most explosive offenses to just 268 yards and 13 points.

Loser: Falcons’ quarterback situation

The Falcons’ current quarterback situation is alarming, to say the least.

With Penix still recovering from the torn ACL he sustained last season and free-agent acquisition Tua Tagovailoa dealing with a back injury, Atlanta started veteran Cooper Rush for a second consecutive week against the Panthers.

It didn’t go well.

RELATED: Kevin Stefanski Left the Browns, Only to Find a QB Situation Just As Ugly

Over the offense’s first eight drives, the 32-year-old was 10-of-17 for 86 yards, two interceptions and a lost fumble before he was benched for undrafted rookie Jack Strand, who wasn’t much better. The 22-year-old threw a pick-six to Carolina linebacker Devin Lloyd on his first possession, and finished the 8-of-15 passing for 59 yards. Rush and Strand combined for a lowly 28.8 passer rating.

After the game, Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski was asked whether the lack of success at the quarterback position is having a trickle-down effect on the rest of the players.

“I think the lack of success, period, has a trickle down to all human beings,” Stefanski said. “We’ve got great resolve. We’ve got great resilience in that locker room. We’ll make sure that we’re ready to go Thursday night.”

Now 0–2, the Falcons will head to Green Bay this week for a prime-time matchup against the Packers—and with a lot more questions than answers under center.

Winner: Ja’Marr Chase’s highlight reel

Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase added yet another miraculous touchdown catch to his highlight reel.

With their Week 2 contest against the Texans scoreless through a quarter and a half, Cincinnati was able to put together a methodical seven-play, 81-yard drive that ended with Chase making a spectacular, toe-tapping grab at the front corner of the end zone.

UNREAL! WHAT A TD CATCH BY JA'MARR CHASE!

(via @Bengals)pic.twitter.com/ZGX4xqC5RZ
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 20, 2026

Chase finished the game with seven catches for 75 yards and two scores, helping the Bengals to a 2–0 start for a second consecutive season.

Loser: Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert has long been criticized for his inability to win a postseason game, and his losses to the Cardinals and Raiders to open the season certainly won’t help his cause. Sunday’s game was another classic loss in the Herbert era—an interception off a deflected pass, consistent pressure by the defense and tackle Joe Alt getting penalized multiple times, including a holding call that resulted in a safety. Herbert is certainly not the only one to blame for the Chargers’ loss. Still, at some point, the excuses aren’t enough without greater results, especially against two teams the Chargers were supposed to beat.

Winner: Isaiah Rodgers

Panthers linebacker Devin Lloyd will likely, and very deservedly, win NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his superhuman efforts against the Falcons. Still, Vikings corner Isaiah Rodgers also put together a stellar performance in a win over the Bears that shouldn’t be overlooked. Rodgers recovered a fumble in the red zone and blocked a field goal attempt, two critical plays that allowed Minnesota to hold on to the win. The best part? Rodgers got to celebrate by recreating Donald Duck’s classic “hot dog” dance.

I thought I recognized this dance 😂😂@rodgers_isaiah | @Vikings pic.twitter.com/VOlNzijGV1
— Dustin (@Dust_Vikings) September 20, 2026

Loser: Offenses

After the league’s offenses put together the highest-scoring Week 1 since the AFL-NFL merger, it appears their performances got to their heads. While some defenses played better, offenses across the NFL were much sloppier in Week 2. There were a few standout performances offensively, including from the Panthers, Cowboys and 49ers. But, between the Chargers fumbling countless times (though only losing one of them), the Packers and Jets combining for 27 penalties, the Texans’ running backs averaging less than 2.0 yards per carry, and the Steelers and Patriots converting a combined 6-of-24 third-down conversions, there is plenty offenses across the league still have to clean up.

Winner: 49ers

While Kyle Shanahan and several 49ers players initially weren’t thrilled by opening the season against the Rams in Australia, they made the most of the opportunity by broadening their fanbase Down Under and now starting the season 2–0.

RELATED: Inside the 49ers’ Trip to Australia and How They Defeated Jet Lag and the Rams

The 49ers dominated the Rams 27–7 in Week 1. They had plenty of time to reset before Week 2, defeating the Dolphins 35–13 as Brock Purdy went 20-of-22 for 287 yards and two touchdowns. The Australia trip could have easily impacted the 49ers’ start to the season. Instead, they came out of Week 2 looking like one of the league’s best teams.

Loser: Buccaneers

After turning the ball over four times against the Bengals in Week 1, the Buccaneers had the perfect opportunity for a “get right” game against the Browns. On top of this, the game against Cleveland offered the chance for Baker Mayfield to get revenge against his former team. Instead, the Buccaneers lost, falling 0–2 for the first time since 2014. The passing offense looked sloppy again. While the weather was a factor, this was an early concern after the Buccaneers gave Mayfield a $165 million extension before the season began.

Mayfield and the Buccaneers will look to rebound in Week 3, but it won’t be easy as they take on the unbeaten Vikings and the Brian Flores’s blitz-happy defense.

Add us as a preferred source on Google